Method of billing for parking facilities by means of pay meters

ABSTRACT

A method of cash card billing with the aid of pay meters when parking a vehicle, using a parking meter system which includes a plurality of meters. The meters include a cash card reader. A person parking a vehicle finds a first meter (BA  1 ) where the cash card is read and the cash card account (KN) number and the parking commencement time are stored in a memory (BA 1  MEM). When terminating the parking period the person finds a second pay meter (BA  2 ), which stores the card number (KN) together with the perking termination time (UT) in a memory (BA 2  MEM). The invention is characterized in that each pay meter includes a keypad ( 2, 3 ) by which the person parking the vehicle keys-in the registration number (RN) of the vehicle at the commencement of a parking period in conjunction with reading the cash card, wherein the pay meter stores the registration number (RN) together with the card number (KN) and the parking commencement time (IT); in that the memory (BA 1  MEM, BA 2  MEM) of each pay meter is connected to the memory of a central computer ( 7 ); and in that the cash card account number is billed for the parking period.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of billing vehicle parking bymeans of pay meters. More specifically, but not exclusively, theinvention relates to a method of billing a parking fee to the accountnumber of a cash card, pay card or credit card.

2. Description of the Related Art

In cities, towns and other municipalities, there will be one or morevehicle parking companies that have parking pay meters, distributedthrough the city or town in a number of different places, where streets,roads and large parking areas are the most common places.

In recent times, it has become possible to pay parking fees withdifferent types of cash cards, credit cards, pay cards, etc. in additionto coin payment. When a cash card is used, the person parking a vehiclewill draw his/her cash card through a card reader provided on the paymeter.

The invention relates to that type of payment system in which the personparking a vehicle draws his/her cash card or corresponding card througha card reader in the pay meter, whereupon the meter stores the cardaccount number and the time at which the card was read.

According to one known system, the pay meter issues a parking ticket,which is placed inwardly of the windshield so as to be easily seen. Whencollecting the vehicle, the person concerned returns to the pay meterand draws his/her card through the card reader. The pay meter then againstores the card number and compares the vehicle collection time with theearlier time at which the card was first drawn through the card reader.The pay meter then calculates the parking fee to be billed and storesthis fee together with the number of the card to be billed, and issues areceipt.

One problem with this system is that when collecting the vehicle, it isnecessary to return to the same pay meter as that in which the card wasread on the parking occasion, in order for the card to be read again onthe vehicle collecting occasion. Another problem with this system isthat certain parking areas include a large number of pay meters andoccasionally drivers forget which pay meter they have used when parkingthe vehicle. A further problem is that people who park a vehicle severaltimes in a number of different parking places in succession within alimited time period are forced to find the correct pay meter twice oneach separate occasion.

It is therefore highly desirable to be able to use any pay meterwhatsoever when parking a vehicle and then use any pay meter whatsoeverwhen collecting the vehicle. The only requirement would be that the twopay meters used belong to one and the same vehicle parking company. Itwould then be possible to commence a series of parking occasions at oneplace in the city or town and draw the pay card through the card readerof one pay meter and to terminate the series of parking occasions atanother place in the city or town, by drawing the pay card through thereader of another meter.

A solution to this problem is disclosed in Swedish Patent 501 845,according to which each pay meter is free-standing and thus notconnected to other meters or to a central computer.

This prior patent publication relates to a method of cash card billingwith the aid of vehicle parking pay meters, there being provided a paymeter system that includes a plurality of meters each of whichconstitutes an independent operative unit. Each of the meters includes acard reader. A person parking a vehicle finds a pay meter and drawshis/her card through the card reader, therewith entering informationrelating to at least the cash card account number. The pay meters areconstructed to issue a parking ticket at the commencement of the parkingperiod, subsequent to having read the cash card.

The invention according to this earlier patent is characterized in thatwhen the cash card is read by a first pay meter BAl in conjunction withthe commencement of said parking period, the meter is caused to store inits memory BA1 MEM as a first transaction T1, the account number KN, andthe time at which the card was read, i.e. the parking commencement timeIT, together with a unique transaction number TN. The meter BA1 iscaused to issue a parking ticket which displays said transaction numberTN in a machine readable form.

When, terminating the parking period, the parking ticket is caused to beread by a second pay meter BA2, which may be any chosen pay meter in thesystem, including the first pay meter, wherewith the second pay meterBA2 will store the transaction number TN read from the parking tickettogether with the time at which the ticket was read, i.e. the parkingtermination time UT, in a memory BA2 MEM belonging to said second paymeter as a second transaction T2.

The memories of respective first and second pay meters are emptied atcertain times, and their contents transferred to the memory of a centralcomputer.

The central computer brings together the respective transactions T1 andT2 recorded in the first and second pay meters BA1 and BA2, with the aidof the transaction numbers TN, and therewith charges the cash cardaccount number KN with a parking cost calculated on the vehicle parkingtime IT and the parking termination time UT.

One problem with a system of this kind is that a parking ticket thatcontains machine readable information must be produced in the pay meter,and that each pay meter must have a functional ticket reading reader.Consequently, it is necessary to service the pay meters at relativelyshort intervals, in order to ensure that this facility is functional. Itis also necessary to re-fill the pay meters with parking ticketmaterial.

The handling of parking tickets is also problematic in some respects. Ifa parking ticket is lost, it is necessary to report the loss in order tobe able to terminate parking of the vehicle.

The present invention solves these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Thus, the present invention relates to a method of cash card billingwith the aid of pay meters when parking a vehicle, there being provideda parking meter system which includes a plurality of meters, eachconstituting an independent operative unit, The meters include a cashcard reader, wherein a person parking a vehicle finds a first meter andwith the aid of the cash card reader enters cash-card carriedinformation relating to at least the cash card account number, When thecash card is read by the meter the meter, is caused to store the cashcard account number and the parking commencement time in a memory thatbelongs to said first meter, When terminating the parking period the paycard is caused to be read by the card reader of a second pay meter,which may be any chosen meter in the meter system, including the firstmeter, wherein the second meter is caused to store the card numbertogether with the time at which the pay card was read, the parkingtermination time, in a memory belonging to said second meter, Each paymeter includes a keypad by means of which the registration number of thevehicle to be parked is keyed-in at the commencement of a parking periodin conjunction with causing the cash card to be read, The pay meter iscaused to store the vehicle registration number together with the cardnumber and the parking commencement time; the memory of each pay meteris connected to the memory of a central computer; and the cash cardaccount number is billed for the parking period between the parkingcommencement time and the parking termination time.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will now be described with reference to anexemplifying embodiment thereof and also with reference to theaccompanying drawing, in which

FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a pay meter BAI; and

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention relates to a method of cash card billing forparking facilities with the aid of pay meters. A system may include twoor more pay meters, all pay meters of which have the same function as ora corresponding function to the first pay meter BA1 shown in FIG. 1.

The pay meter is equipped with a cash card reader 1. The cash cardreader may be adapted to read cash cards that include a magnetic stripand cash cards that include a chip. In accordance with the invention,the pay meter comprises a keypad 2, that includes the numbers 0 to 9,and a keypad 3 that includes the letters A to ö. The keypads may alsoinclude special character keys, such as hyphen keys, since hyphens areincluded in the registration numbers of some foreign vehicles. Thesekeys have not been shown in FIG. 1. The keypads may also include arrowkeys, for moving a cursor on a pay meter display 4.

The display 4 may conveniently show the relevant date and time.

A person wishing to park his/her vehicle looks for a first pay meter BA1and with the aid of the card reader of said meter enters cash cardinformation relating to at least the card account number, wherewith thecard number KN and the parking commencement time is stored in a memoryBA1 MEM of the pay meter, subsequent to having read the cash card.

As before mentioned, each pay meter includes a keypad by means of theperson parking the vehicle keys in the vehicle registration number RN atthe commencement of the parking period in conjunction with reading ofthe cash card, wherein the pay meter is caused to store the vehicleregistration number RN together with the card number KN and the parkingcommencement time IT in the memory BA1 MEM.

Subsequent to registering the parking commencement time of a vehicle,i.e., subsequent to the driver of the vehicle having keyed-in his/hervehicle registration number and his/her cash card has been read, the paymeter functions to display instructions as to how the next person topark his/her vehicle shall proceed.

According to one preferred embodiment of the invention, the vehicleregistration number (RN) is entered prior to reading the cash card atthe commencement of a parking period. Thus, the display asks the personconcerned to enter the registration number of the vehicle to be parked.The keyed alphanumerical characters are displayed on the display as theregistration number is keyed-in. Keying of the vehicle registrationnumber may conveniently be terminated by pressing a button 5, whichdenotes that the full registration number has been keyed-in. The displaythen asks the person to insert his/her cash card into the card reader 1.When this has been done, an indication is given, suitably on thedisplay, to the effect that registration will take place when the personpresses a button 5 in acceptance of the registration. This button 5 issuitably the same button as that used to terminate keying of theregistration number.

The pay meter includes a cancel button 6 for use when the personconcerned changes his/her mind after the cash card has been read.Pressing of the cancel button causes recorded data to be erased.

It is pointed out that no parking ticket or the like is issued thatdenotes the time at which parking of the vehicle commences.

When parking of the vehicle is terminated, the cash card is read by thecard reader of a second pay meter BA2. This second pay meter BA2 may beany chosen pay meter in the pay meter system, including the first paymeter. The pay meter display may present text that asks the personconcerned to first enter a vehicle registration number if the vehicle isto be parked, and to insert the cash card into the card reader ifparking is to be terminated.

When the pay meter shall be caused to read the cash card in conjunctionwith terminating parking, the person concerned will suitably acknowledgethis by pressing a button 5.

The second pay meter is caused to store the card number KN together withthe time at which the card was read, i.e. the parking termination timeUT, in a memory BA2 MEM belonging to the second pay meter.

The memories of the pay meters may be of any suitable kind, for instancea RAM memory, a FLASH memory or other semi-conductor memory.

The memory BA1 MEM, BA2 MEM of each pay meter is connected to a centralcomputer and its memory. The pay meters may be connected on-line withthe central computer. Alternatively, the contents of the pay metermemories may be collected off-line, through the medium of cables, modemsor radio, and therewith transferred to a central computer.

According to the invention, the parking time included from the parkingcommencement time (IT) to the parking termination time (UT) is billedagainst the cash card number.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating said information. Information bitscorresponding to vehicle registration number RN, cash card accountnumber KN and parking commencement time IT are stored in the memory BA1MEM of the pay meter BA1. the information bits KN and the parkingtermination time UT are present in the memory BA2 MEM of the pay meterBA2.

Billing is effected in the central computer 7 on the basis of KN and ITfrom BA1 MEM with KN and UT from BA2 MEM. This results in a billingcharge 8 against the number of the cash card concerned.

In conjunction with termination of vehicle parking, the central computer8 will be suitably adapted to send to BA2 the parking fee that will becharged, this fee being displayed on the display 4. The pay meter alsoincludes a printer 9 that prints a receipt in response to pressing areceipt button 10, when a receipt is required.

The cash card number of a person who has forgotten to terminate parkingof his/her vehicle will be charged an amount that corresponds to orexceeds the amount chargeable for a maximum permitted parking period.

The invention is primarily aimed at a system of pay meters that aredistributed over a wide geographical area. However, the presentinvention can also be applied beneficially with two or more pay metersthat are included in a pay meter system confined within a closed parkingarea, such as a car parking building, wherein one of the pay metersfunctions as said central computer.

It will thus be evident that the invention enables a person to use afirst pay meter in the system when initially parking his/her vehicle,and another pay meter when terminating parking.

It will also be evident that only one single document need be issued,i.e., a receipt when a receipt is required.

No parking ticket is printed when applying the present invention, andthere is therefore no parking ticket that need be placed clearly visibleinwardly of the windshield.

In addition, the invention affords the significant advantage of storingthe account number of a cash card together with the vehicle registrationnumber, therewith establishing a legal connection between the owner ofthe cash card and the vehicle in question.

According to one highly preferred embodiment of the invention, the paymeters included in the system are adapted to print out or display at anarbitrarily selected time point and in response to an instruction tothis end the registration numbers RN of those vehicles that havecommenced a parking period but have not at that point in time terminatedparking of their vehicles,

This instruction may be delivered in response to the insertion into thecard reader of a special authorization card by a parking attendant. Thepay meter may be adapted to print out a list 11 (see FIG. 2) ofregistration numbers in alphabetical order of vehicles that have notterminated parking of their vehicles, in response to this instruction.Alternatively, the registration numbers may be shown on-the display inan alphabetical order, so that the parking attendant is able to scanthrough the registration numbers with the aid of the arrow keys, forinstance.

The parking attendant is then able to compare the registration numbersof parked vehicles with the numbers given by the system. The owner of avehicle whose registration number is not found in the system is issuedwith a parking fine.

It will be clearly seen that the drawbacks of known systems discussed inthe introduction have been avoided with the present invention.

It will also be understood that the present invention is not restrictedto the aforedescribed and illustrated exemplifying embodiments thereofand that modifications can be made within the scope of the followingclaims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of cash card billing for the cost ofparking with the aid of pay meters when parking a vehicle within aparking meter system that includes a plurality of pay meters, wherein asingle pay meter serves a plurality of parking spaces, each pay meterincluding a cash card reader, a keypad, and a memory, wherein the memoryof each pay meter is connected to the memory of a central computer, andwherein no parking ticket is issued at the parking commencement time,said method comprising the steps of: entering into a pay meter withinthe parking meter system upon commencement of a parking period a parkingcustomer's cash card account number and a vehicle registration number toidentify the vehicle to be parked; storing the cash card account number,the vehicle registration number, and a parking commencement time in amemory within the pay meter upon commencement of the parking period;reading the cash card account number by any pay meter within the parkingmeter system when terminating the parking period; storing in a memory ofthe pay meter that has read the cash card account number upontermination of the parking period the card account number and the timeat which the card was read upon termination of the parking period toidentify a parking termination time; transferring the contents of thememories of the respective pay meters to the central computer anddetermining the cost for the parking period corresponding with the cashcard account number and the time interval between the parkingcommencement time and the parking termination time; and billing the cashcard account number for the cost for the parking period.
 2. A methodaccording to claim 1, wherein the pay meters include a printer, andincluding the step of delivering to a pay meter within the parkingsystem a printing instruction, and printing the vehicle identificationnumbers of those vehicles for which a parking commencement time has beenrecorded and for which a parking termination time has not been recorded.3. A method according to claim 1, including the step of manuallyentering the vehicle identification number at the commencement of aparking period.
 4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the parkingmeter system includes at least two pay meters and one pay meter includesthe central computer.
 5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the paymeter in which the parking commencement time is stored is the same paymeter as the pay meter in which the parking termination time is stored.6. A method in accordance with claim 1 wherein the pay meter in whichthe parking commencement time is stored is a different pay meter fromthe pay meter in which the parking termination time is stored.
 7. Amethod in accordance with claim 1, wherein the vehicle registrationnumber is entered using the keypad of a pay meter.
 8. A method inaccordance with claim 1, wherein the pay meters include a display panelfor displaying information, and including the step of delivering to apay meter within the parking system a display instruction, anddisplaying on the display panel of the pay meter to which the displayinstruction has been delivered the vehicle registration numbers of thosevehicles within the parking meter system for which a parkingcommencement time has been recorded and for which a parking terminationtime has not been recorded.
 9. A method in accordance with claim 3,wherein the vehicle registration number is entered before entering thecash card account number.
 10. A method according to claim 1, includingthe following additional steps: at a selected check time, identifyingthe registration numbers of those vehicles that have entered the parkingsystem and have commenced a parking period by entry of a cash cardaccount number and a registration number but have not terminated thatparking period by leaving the system; comparing the registration numbersidentified at the check time with registration numbers for vehicles thenparked within the system; and issuing a parking fine to vehicles presentwithin the parking system but not identified as having commenced aparking period.
 11. A method according to claim 10 wherein theidentification step at the selected check time includes printing a listof registration numbers.
 12. A method according to claim 10 wherein theidentification step includes displaying the registration numbers on adisplay carried by a pay meter.
 13. A method according to claim 11wherein the list is printed in alphabetical order.
 14. A methodaccording to claim 11 wherein the list is displayed in alphabeticalorder.
 15. A method according to claim 1, wherein the parking systemincludes pay meters located on streets and roads.